Viewers can pretty much count on Disney Studios for good music in their
movies, well-drawn and lively characters, and . . . sequels. Those
sequels aren’t always the wisest of choices because oftentimes Disney
hasn’t put as much effort into producing the second movie. “The Jungle
Book,” first animated back in 1967 and an instant classic, waited over
30 years for the sequel treatment.

Those who were children when they watch the original movie 36 years ago
are now old enough to be parents of grown children and potentially have
grandchildren by now. At first glance, doing a sequel didn’t seem to be
a wise investment, even after “The Jungle Book” DVD was released to an
eager audience. However, like Rudyard Kipling’s original story about
the orphan boy raised by jungle animals, Mowgli’s cinematic adventures
tend toward the perennial.

In the first movie, the audience learns that Mowgli was discovered by
Bagheera the black panther, who felt compelled to take care of the
young man-cub. In short order, Bagheera shared that responsibility with
Baloo the bear. Together, Bagheera and Baloo represented the opposite
ends of parenting. Bagheera was conservative and thoughtful, every move
planned out. Baloo was explosive and lived life by the moment, just for
the sheer happiness of singing and dancing and lazing around.
Unfortunately, amid all the joy of discovering his foster parents,
Mowgli also makes a mortal enemy of Shere Khan, the dreaded Bengal
tiger that preys on men and other animals alike. Mowgli was able to
defeat Shere Khan in the first movie, and was drawn to the man-village
by the soft brown eyes of a young girl about his age.

Mowgli (voiced by Haley Joel Osment) in Chapter 1 cunningly performs
the above recap within “Jungle Book 2” while the opening credits roll,
double-dipping on the screen time. Mowgli uses shadow puppets to tell
the tale to Ranjan, his young stepbrother, who has obviously heard the
story a number of times. Ranjan gets into the spirit of the moment as
the tale reaches the exciting end when Shere Khan trapped Mowgli
without Bagheera and Baloo. The boy jumps around, pretending to be a
fierce tiger, much to Mowgli’s chagrin and Shanti’s irritation. Shanti
is the young girl that drew Mowgli’s interest and got him to leave the
jungle to enter the man-village.

As Mowgli and Shanti work to tame the savage beast that is Ranjan,
Mowgli’s foster mother calls from off-screen to the right. Her voice
carries through the right front speaker so clearly that most viewers
will unconsciously look in that direction to see her. The DVD doesn’t
make use of all the surround sound capabilities it might have, but it
does use them subtly to enhance the realism of the story.

Mowgli’s foster parents enter the scene and tell everyone it’s time for
bed. Ranjan isn’t happy about the prospect, but agrees — only after
talking about the secret he and Mowgli share. Mowgli calls his
stepfather “sir” and doesn’t hug him as Ranjan does. Evidently he’s
conflicted about how he’s supposed to feel about his adoptive parents.

In Chapter 2, the audience is treated to real Disney moments as Ranjan
sneaks up on Mowgli, who is sleeping in the rafters. Ranjan scares
Mowgli and the two carry on for a bit before talking about their plans
again. Today is the day that Mowgli promised to take Ranjan into the
jungle to go adventuring. The boys attempt to sneak out of the house
but their mother catches them, displaying all the mystical Momly powers
that mothers have in most Disney animated features. The message is
clear and succinct: nothing ever gets by Mom.

Mom warns the boys not to cross the river because it is too dangerous.
The boys creep down to the river and surprise Shanti, who is getting
water for her family. Ranjan acts like a tiger and springs from hiding,
startling Shanti so badly that she falls into the river. Of course,
she’s not happy with the boys.

In Chapter 3, the movie breaks out into the first number on the song
track. Mowgli, in an attempt to dissuade Shanti from telling what
they’re planning and to make up for scaring her, bursts out into song.
His excitement and the drumming beat draws the rest of the kids of the
village. The choreography of the dance number is awesome, compelling
and colorful. Like a Pied Piper, Mowgli leads the entire group toward
the jungle waiting on the other side of the river. Before they can
cross over, though, Shanti shouts out an alarm that draws the parents.
Mowgli ends up grounded in his room, totally bored and missing the
jungle more than ever.

The story picks up with Baloo the bear (voiced by John Goodman) in
Chapter 4. Baloo is trying to have a good time pretending Mowgli is
still there, still singing and dancing with him. The stick figure he’s
made up to resemble his missing man-cub is truly pathetic. Even
Bagheera, who is watching from nearby, is concerned for the big bear.
Later in this chapter, the audience sees that Shere Khan is still
around too. When Shere Khan moves through the flock of birds, startling
them and splitting them, another nice surround sound effect comes as
the rush of noise comes first from the right front speaker, then the
center speaker(s) and finally over to the left to follow the explosion
of flying birds on the screen.

Meanwhile, Baloo has finally had it and decides to go visit the
man-village and check on Mowgli. Bagheera tries to head Baloo off and
ends up having to depend on the elephants to get the job done. Under
the direction of their leader, the elephants form a line and cut Baloo
off on the other side of the river. The elephant’s ponderous feet slam
into the ground and echo through the subwoofer.

Chapter 5 reveals that Shere Khan, once mighty and feared throughout
the jungle, has become a laughingstock. A team of vultures, looking and
sounding just as much like the Beatles as they did in 1967, heckles
Shere Khan unmercifully. Later, with Mowgli still stuck in his room,
wind chimes on the left side of the screen tinkle through the left
front speaker. A clank that jars through the right front speaker and
will probably startle younger viewers. Mowgli spots Baloo and an
excited and happy reunion takes place in the middle of the man-village.

Shere Khan has also made his way into the man-village and immediately
sets to stalking Shanti. When she discovers Mowgli and Baloo playing
together, she screams for help, believing that the bear is harming
Mowgli. When the villagers respond to her cries, they discover the
Bengal tiger among them and tense moments play out.

Unfortunately, Baloo gets unnerved and takes off across the river with
Mowgli mounted securely on his shoulders. The villagers know Mowgli has
disappeared into the jungle and don’t organize quickly enough to go
after him to suit Shanti. She and Ranjan set out in pursuit, going deep
into the jungle.

The comedic sequences with Kaa the Snake in Chapter 6 remind viewers
who have seen the first movie of the danger in that tale. The snake
also slithers into the clearing where Mowgli and Baloo are singing the
trademark song of the two movies, “Bare Necessities.”

Shanti continues her search for Mowgli in Chapter 7. The bats and birds
fluttering all around her snarl through the surround sound system like
a cyclone in another good showing of why a home entertainment center is
such a good idea. Chapter 8 has birds flying in front of Bagheera from
right to left, and the sound flows effortlessly through the surround
sound system in the same pattern. The marching elephants bring the
subwoofer to vibrant life as they flee from the group of men that has
ventured deep into the jungle in search of Mowgli.

In Chapters 13 and 14, Shere Khan and Mowgli battle once more. The
tiger’s voice is awesome, ringing out through the surround sound system
like he’s everywhere at once. The audience gets a real taste of what
must be going through Mowgli’s mind as he faces his old opponent
because they feel just as surrounded as he does.

“The Jungle Book 2,” although offered 30-plus years after the original
movie, stands right up there with the first one. Other than some
smoother animation effects, which could probably be taken care of with
computer enhancements these days, there isn’t much difference in the
movies. The time frame stands the test and the story genuinely seems to
take place only a few days after the first movie. John Goodman’s riff
on Phil Harris’ Baloo is true, a close approximation with a Goodman
distinctiveness for the trained ear.

The extras on the DVD include a game for the kids that will be
diverting more than entertaining even for the younger ages. The recap
of the original movie is fantastic for introducing younger viewers (and
even older ones) with the story thus far, although viewing of the
original story on DVD is recommended. Many regard “The Jungle Book” as
Walt Disney’s final work before he passed away, and as such is a legacy
that the second generation of tale spinners readily acknowledges in the
documentary contained on the disc.

Possessing all of the innate charm and wonder of its progenitor,
“Jungle Book 2” is a definite collector’s item for families with small
children. The upbeat music, the wildly loveable characters, a truly
despicable villain, and the threat and wonder of the menace of the
jungle combine to make a viewing experience that will bear and deserve
repeated viewings. After all, “The Jungle Book 2” is one of the bare
necessities for the movie lover’s shelves.